Improved adjustable wagon-bottom and chute



A. BITNER, Ir.

Dumping Wagon.

- Patented Dec: 14, 1869.-

patent I atria.

ABRAHAM BITNER, JR, 0F LANCAST R, rENNsYLvAN1A.

y Letters Patent No. 97,753, madpecemm. 14, 1869.

l IMPROVED ADJUSTABLE WAGON-BOTTOM Ann-01mm.

The Schedule referred to inthese Letters Patent and making 'part of the same To dllavho'm it may concern.- a

Be it knownthat I, ABRAHAM BITNER, J12; of the city of Lancaster, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and improved Combination on \Vagons or Vehicles for hauling merchandise, lumber, or coal, especially adapted for the latterpurpose; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and

exact description of the construction of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings,

making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 1s, a perspective view of an ordinary wagonbody with my improvements.

the wagon, without rehaudliug, by meausof an adjustable inclined bottomtrap fixed,-and portable chuteat-tachment.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, a brief description will be sufficient.

Figure 1 represents a wagon-body, A, in common use, with three side-"posts, Eyperforated for a headed bolt-rod, e, to support the inclined bot-tom B, made of boiler-iron, or wood lined with heavysheet-irou.

The end-gate is provided with a sliding door, D,

' opening into an attached chute, O.

This attached chute is provided with rack-teeth or notches,for the reception of the rod or iron brace j, over the front end of a portable chute, F,so as to extend from the curb, across the pavement, to the grate or place of discharge into the vault or cellar; is also made of boiler-iron, or its equivalent.

The side-pieces E are united across the bottom of the box, and the forward end sufliciently inclined outward, so" that, when the burrs are removed from the end of the headed bolts 0, the-bottom B will drop down in front, onthelower fixed supports of thesidepieces E, and convert the box for hauling any kind of merchandise.

I am aware that fixed inclined bottoms are used for and for the purpose specified.

hauling lumber, so that the ends, projecting, come over the horse or horses, and therefore claim no novelty, either as a wagon for hauling merchandise or lumber, I A

My invention consists in adapting the same vehicle to these several purposes, and more especially to the delivery of coal, for which purpose the sliding door could be made in the hind end of the adjustable hot- 7 tom, instead of the end-gate, which latter is preferable. This arrangement ufi'ords great facilities to forward-, inganerchants, who 'alternatel y require the use of their wagon for the one or the other purpose, when coal' and lumber are kept for sale, as in most cases. Instead of having wagons for each special use, or in the absence of such, even where they have them, on an emergency, this arrangement will accommodate either purpose, with little trouble to make the desired change.

The soiiing of the sidewalks, with coal-dust and coal, the shovelliug out, the backing over the curb, and

much loss of time, to say nothing of the labor, are remedied by means of the portable chute, which is speedily attached, and as readily disconnected, and

thrown upon the wagon.

I am fully aware that this arrangement is simple, and may seem to lack novelty, when each part is separately considered, but its utility is fully tested, and its importance established, as a labor-saving invention or combination; nor am I aware that such an arrange-' menthas ever before been in use, or anything substantially like it, as a whole; I therefore do not claim the parts separately considered.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The arrangement of the adjustable bottom B, in a wagon, in combination with a trap or valve, D, in said bottom, so that it may be connected with atrough-o'r chute, for discharging coal or the like, in the maune'i' A. BITNER, JR.

Witnesses:

WM. B. WILEY,

JACOB STAUFFER. 

